Panorama-camera.



Patented Nov. 26, l90l.

D. 0. BARNELL.

PANOBAMA CAMERA.

(Application filed Jan. 30, 1901.)

3 SheetsSheet I.

(No Modei.)

A TTOHNEYaS No. 687,592. 7 Patented Nov. 26, I90l. D. 0. BARNELL.

PANORAMA CAMERA.

(Application filed Jan. 30, 1901.)

3 Sheets-Sheei 2.

(No Model.)

N2 Mm 1/ A TTORNE 71S VEN r09 ivili'nnliill WITNESSES: Q 1-4 {3 %MJ m:wams PEYERS co, mowumo.v yvAsHm-moN. q. c

No. 687,592. Patented Nov. 26, I90l. D. 0. BARNELL.

PANORAMA CAMERA.

(Applicafion mm Jan. 30, 1901. (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

1 ma. ATTORNEYS THE NORRIS Pwzns co. pwmouwou VVASHVNGYON, o. c,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID O. BARNELL, OF OMAHA, NEBRASKA, ASSIGNOR TO THE COSMOS MAN-UFACTURING COMPANY, OF BROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORA- TION OFMASSACHUSETTS.

PANORAMA-CAMERA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 687,592, dated November26, 1901.

Application filed January 30, 1901. S i 1N0.45,298. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern: is a top plan view of the same. Figs. 11 Beit known that I, DAVID O. BARNELL, and 12 are details showing theantifriction a citizen of the United States, residing at means employedfor holding the film-support- 55 Omaha, in the county of Douglas andState ing plates in position.

5 of Nebraska, have invented certain new and Panoramic cameras have beenheretofore useful Improvements in Panorama-Cameras; made and used, butthey usually cover only and I do hereby declare the following to be a aportion of the horizon in their operation. full, clear, andexactdescription of the inven- My improved camera is designed to supplya 60 tion, such as will enable others skilled in the mechanism of thischaracter which shall be IO art to which it appertainsto make and usethe capable of receiving reflections and producsame. ingimpressions uponsensitized surfaces from My invention relates to improvements in everypoint of the horizon. cameras, and particularly to that class of cam- Incarrying out the features of this inven- 65 eras known as panoramiccameras. tion I employ a casing A for inclosing the ap- It consists in acamera provided witha suitparatus of the camera, the said casing beingable inclosing casing, means for holding a cylindricalin shape for themost part, with an film in proper position, and a lens mounted offset orprojection, as a, for holding the sen- Within said casing so as to makea complete sitive-film spools. o revolution therein for transmittingrays of In a camera of this character I employ a light from every pointof the horizon to the flexible sensitized material, such as the filmsfilm exposed. in common use, and support a portion of the It alsoconsists in a camera provided with said film B in the camera A uponrevoluble means for holding a film or other sensitized plates, as 1 and15. The plates are arranged 75 material in a circular form, a lens fordirectconcentrically Within the cylindrical casing ing rays of light tothe whole circle of film, A, one above the other, being separated sufandreflecting means for directing light reficiently to just receive thefilm 13 between ceived from the horizon to and through the them. Each ofthe plates 1 and 15 is provided said lens. with an inwardly-extendingperipheral flange 80 It further consists in certain other novel 2 2,against which the edges of the film B rest.

0 constructions and arrangements of parts, as These flanges serve tohold the film in a cir- Will be hereinafter fully described and cularform and afiord a means for easily carclaimed. rying the same aroundWithin the camera.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is The lower plate 1 ispreferably secured by 85 a central horizontal section through a camerameans of radiating spokes or arms 3 3 to a 5 constructed in accordancewith the present hub 3, which finds a suitable bearing upon inventionand taken upon the line 2 z of Fig. a central boss formed upon asupporting-plate 2. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section taken 34,mounted upon the bottom A of the camupon the line a: w of Fig. 1. Fig. 3is a side era. The upper plate 15 is movably sup- 9o elevation of one ofthe mirrors employed in ported upon aseries of standards4t4, arranged myimproved camera. Figs. t and 5 are deat suitable intervals around theouter edge tails in plan and edge elevation of a slide for of the casingA. Each of these standards is closing the aperture ordinarily covered bythe provided with pairs of antifriction-rollers 5 5, said mirror. Fig. 6is a plan view of the casadapted to receive between them the outer 5 ingcarrying the lens-actuating mechanism, a edge or periphery of the saidplate 15. By

portion of the said casing being broken away this means the plate is sosupported that it is to better reveal the parts. Fig. 7 is a detail freeto revolve with the sensitive film. One

I sectional view illustrating the means of operor more of the posts areprovided with a pair ating the shutter of the camera. Fig. 8 is a ofhorizontal antifriction-rollers 14c 14, adapt- 10o detail sectionalviewillustrating the means ed to engage the edge of the plate 15 toprefor limiting the movement of the shutter. vent any binding action ofthis plate, which Fig. 9 is a vertical central section through the hasno other centering mechanism. The pomechanism for holding thefilm-spools. Fig. sition of these rollers 14 1-1 and their relation tothe rollers 5 5 will be clearly understood by reference to Figs. 11 and12 in the drawings. The plate 15 is provided with a central opening ofconsiderable size to accommodate the reflecting mechanism fortransmitting the light-rays to the interior of the camera. The film B ispreferably mounted upon rolls or spools, as 7 7, which are arrangedoutside the peripheries of the plates 1 and 15. These spools arerevolubly mounted upon a frame comprising a base 10 and having a centralstandard 8 projecting upwardly between the spools 7 7. In order to holdthe spools in position upon the base 10, I secure a plate 12 to the topof the standard 8 and hinge to the same the plates 11 11 in such amanner that they may be folded down over the ends of the spools 7 7. Theouter ends of the plates 11 are adapted to be caught and held in theirfolded positions by means of springs 9 9, which project upwardly fromthe base 10. The action of these springs for releasing the plates 11 11when the spools are to be changed is indicated in dotted lines in Fig.9. Spoolcentering means are secured to the base 10 and each of theplates 11, as seen in said Fig. 9. One of the spools 7 is adapted to beengaged by an actuating-key 13, so that the said spool may be rotatedfrom the outside of the camera in the usual manner. The film B passesfrom one of the spools 7 about a vertical roller 6 to the periphery ofthe plates 1 and 15, thence around the annular flanges 2 2 of saidplates, and completely around the camera until it reaches a secondvertical roller 6, after which it passes to the other spool 7. The twovertical rollers 6 6 are preferably arranged as closely together aspractical without causing the portions of the film which pass betweenthem to rub against each other. The rollers 6 6 may be journaled attheir lower ends in the block 10 and at their upper ends in anenlargement of the plate 12 upon the upper end of the standard 8. Thisarrangement makes it possible to hold a loop of the film in a circularposition within the camara, so that a revolving lens mounted within thesaid loop may be caused to affect the said film upon a complete rotationof the said lens'upon its axis.

Within the camera and inside the loop of the film I arrange a suitableimage-transmitting device comprising a lens 0 andreflectingapparatusconnectedtherewith. The lens 0 is secured within aneye 17, formed upon the upper end of the vertical shaft 29. This shaft29 finds a bearing in the central boss of the supporting-plate 34.Secured to the eye 17 upon one side of the lens 0 is a flaring tube 18,which is made slightly smaller at its outer end than the exposed surfaceof the film B. This tube 18 is adapted to direct the rays of lightpassing through the lens to the different portions of the film-surfaceexposed successively as the lens is revolved upon its axis. Upon theother side of the lens 0 is arranged a flaring tube 22, which is formedwith an elbow and passes upwardly to the top of the camera, where it issecured to a revolving block 26. The block 26 is provided with acircular plate having a projecting peripheral flange 27, adapted toinclose a flange 27 which extends inwardly from the top of the camera.The block 26 is circular in contour and fits within the aperture in thetop of the camera formed by the said flange 27. Upon the upper side ofthe block 26 is removably mounted an extension-tube 23, forming aprolongation of the tube 22 and carrying a reflecting-surface D. Thesaid extension-tube 23 is formed with a flange at its lower edge adaptedto he slipped into a retaining-groove formed by the plate 24, which issecured to the upper surface of the block 26. The tubes 22 and 23 areprovided with any suitable reflecting means-such as mirrors, prisms, andthe 1ike-for receiving images from outside the camera and transmittingthem to the lens within the camera. A simple arrangement of these partsis illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings, in which an inclined mirror Dis mounted in the top of the extension-tube 23, while a second mirror Dis arranged in the elbow portion of the tube 22. These mirrors D and Dare so arranged as to receive reflections from the horizon and divertthe same into the center of the camera and then transmit them to thelens O. The lens 0 will in turn direct the image to the inner surface ofthe sensitive film B. By revolving the lens and the tubes 18 to 22 acontinuous reflection may be brought to bear upon the inwardly-facingsensitive surface of the film B, and thus a picture representing thefull sweep of the horizon may be obtained. The interlocking flanges 27and 27 provide for the revolution of the block 26 and the mirrors D andD without danger of admittinglightthrough thejoint thus formed.

1 contemplate employing any suitable mechanism for rotating the lens 0and have illustrated a simple means for this purpose in the drawings.The lower end of the shaft 29 is projected a suitable distance below theplate 34 and is attached to an actuating-spring 30, mounted upon asuitable framing 35. One end of the said spring is secured to a standardon the said framing, while the other end of the said spring is fastenedto the shaft 29. The shaft 29 also carries a gear or spur wheel 3l,whichmeshes with a gear-wheel 32, mounted upon a suitable arbor in theframing 35. This gear-wheel 32 is adapted to transmit motion to a smallpinion 44 through an intermediate train of gearing 43 43. The pinion 44has secured to it a brake wheel or disk 45. Around the brake-disk 45 Ipass a flexible band 46, which is secured at one end to a stud orstandard on the framing 35 and at the other end to a shaft 48, aboutwhich it may be partially wound. The shaft 48 is provided with anadjustingarm 47, which has a pointer formed upon its ends adapted totravel over a scale 49. By moving the arm 47 to differ- 'e'nt pointsalong the said scale the band 46 may be maintained at such a tensionthat the speed of the shaft 29 through the gearing just described can beregulated to make exposures upon the film of proper duration.

In the use of a revolving lens such as that above described it isnecessary to have a suitable shutter and one which may accommodateitself to some extent to the movement of the said lens. I preferably usea shutter 20 made of sufficient width to cover the end of the tube 18and protect the film from the action of light transmitted through saidtube until it is desired to produce an exposure. The shutter 20 iscarried by the outer end of an arm 20, which finds a bearing upon thecentral boss of the plate 34. The movement of the said arm is preferablylimited by a pin 28, which is secured to the central boss of the plate34, the said pin engaging an elongated slot formed in the sleeve bearingupon the end of the said arm 28. The movement of the shutter iscomparatively slight and need only'be to the extent indicated in dottedlines in Fig. 1. The shutter closes the end of thetube 18 before thelens starts upon its revolution. When the lens leaves the shutter, itmakes a complete revolution in the camera before it comes around to thesame again. The arm 20 is provided with an upwardly-extending spring 21,adapted to be engaged by a segmental piece 19, secured to the under sideof the tube 18. As the tube 18 approaches the shutter 20 the end of thepiece 19 will engage the spring 21, the said spring being suflicientlystrong to move the shutter to the limit of its motion before yielding beneath the continued movement of the piece 19. The shutter and the tube18 will then reach the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. By theuse of this shutter the film will have been exposed from one roller 6all the way around the camera to the other roller 6, the movement of thesaid shutter making this possible. It will be seen that the lens and theshaft carrying the same have to make a little more than acompleterevolution.

In order to set the lens-actuating mechanism and release the same at theproper time, I provide the gear-wheel 32 with an aperture adapted to beengaged by a pin 33", which is carried by the end of a lever 33. Thelever 33 is mounted in the framing 35 and is normally held in engagementwith the apertured geared wheel 32 by a spring 40. The outer end of thelever 33 carries a pin 41, which extends through an aperture 42, formedin the bottom plate 36 of the camera. In setting the lens the spring 30is wound by turning the shaft 29 until the pin 30 is brought intoengagement with the aperture in the gear 32. The mechanism will then bein position ready for an exposure. By pressing the pin 11 inwardly thegearing can be released from the pin 33, and the lens, together with thetubes 18 and 32, will be caused to revolve within the camera. When theshaft 29 is turned so as to wind up the spring 30, the shutter 20 willbe brought to the position shown in Fig. 1. I

The extension-tube 23, w th the mirror D carried thereby, is preferablyremoved when the camera isnot in use, and the opening in the block 26may be closed by a slide 25, adapted to engage the retaining-flange 24.in

the same manner in which it was engaged by the tube 23.

In order to make it possible to get at the interior of the camera, Isecure the inclosing casing A to the base A by means of a series ofspring-actuated bolts 38 38, adapted to engage apertures formed in thesaid casing A. The bolts 38 38 are arranged in suitable recesses andhave coiled springs 37 37 inserted in said recesses behind the bolts. Inthe apertures formed in the casing A are inserted press buttons or knobs39 39, which engage the ends'of the bolts 38 3S and may be employed toforce the said' bolts inwardly to a sufficient extent to release thecasingA from the base. To render it easy to put the easing A in positionupon the base, the ends of the bolts 38 are preferably beveled upwardly.Thus in applying the casing A to the base it is only necessary to forcethe same downwardly against the beveled ends of the bolts 38, when theywill snap into engagement with the apertures in said casing and lock theparts together. The camera may be provided with the usual means formounting it upon a tripod T and may also have suitable carrying means,as found most convenient.

While I have illustrated mirrors in the drawings for the purpose ofreflecting the images through the lens, I do not wish to confine myselfto this precise means, since I may employ other reflecting materials,such as prisms or the like, without departing in the least from thespirit of the invention.

The operation of the device is somewhat as follows: The casing A isremoved, and a spool containing a roll of sensitive film is put intoposition upon the block 10 and locked in place by the cover 11. The endof the film is then led between the rollers 6 6 and around the oneadjacent to the said spool, thence around the annular flanges 2 2 of theplates 1 and 15, back between the rollers 6 (5, and around an emptyspool upon the other end of the block 10. By winding the spool 7 bymeans of the key 13 the film may be changed from time to time to presentdifferent portions of its surface to the action of the lens. The casingA is then put into position, and the top reflector D is inserted in itsproper place. The lens-actuating mechanism is then set,and all is inreadiness for a proper exposure. After the camera has been set in placethe press-button ll is pushed inwardly, so as to release the gearing inthe casing 35, when the lens will be rotated so as to sweep the wholearea of the film exposed in the camera. The shutter will operate, asabove described, to close the end of the tube 18 before and ICC afterthe exposure. The film may then be wound to a sufficient extent toexpose a new surfape for the next picture, when the operation'may berepeated. The film will be easily carried around in the camera by theplates 1 and 15, which engage at their edges the antifriction-rollers 55 The parts of the mechanism are comparativelysimple and are easilyoperated, and pictures may be taken covering the whole sweep of thehorizon.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. A camera having a stationary casing, adjustable means engaging eachedge of the film for movably holding the successive parts thereof in acylindrical form, and reflecting means mounted within said casing andadapted to be rotated so as to transmit rays of light from every pointof the horizon to every part of the film exposed.

2. A camera having a stationary casing, means engaging the upper edge ofthe film and means for engaging the lower edge of the film for holdingthe said film in a cylindrical form in the camera-casing, and areflecting means adapted to be completely revolved within thecylindrical portion of the film for directing rays of light to the wholecircle of the film exposed, whereby a panoramic picture sweeping thewhole horizon maybe taken.

3-. A camera comprising an inclosing casing, means for properly holdinga film in'position around the walls of the said casing comprisingantifriction revolving plates, a

revoluble lens mounted within the film, and means for rotating the same,flaring tubes arranged upon each side of the lens, one of said tubesbeing formed with an elbow so that the same may extend outside thecamera-casing at right angles to the axis of'the lens,reflecting-mirrors mounted in the said elbowtube for reflecting lightinto the camera and through the lens, the structure being such that byrevolving the lens and tubes images received from all points of thehorizon may be transmitted to the film Within the camera, substantiallyas described.

4:. In a camera the combination with an inclosing casing of means forsupporting a film therein,rotating reflecting mechanism mounted withinthe film, a shaft carrying the said mechanism, a spring for actuatingthe same, gearing for transmitting movement from the spring to the shaftand frictional means for controlling the speed of the gearing,substantially as described.

5. In a camera the combination with filmholding means of a revolublelens for acting upon the same, a shaft carrying the said lens, a springfor rotating the shaft, a brake-wheel for regulating the speed of theshaft, intermediate gearing connecting the brake-wheel with the saidshaft, an adjustable brake-band for engaging the brake-wheel for varyingthe speed of the shaft, and means for holding and releasing theshaft-gearing substantially as described.

6. In a camera, the combination with a casing of a film-holdingmechanism mounted therein, comprising a frame for holding filmspools,and rotating disks for holding a portion of the said film in the form ofa cylindrical loop within the camera, inwardly-extending annular flangesupon the said disks for engaging the edges of the film, means forsupporting the lower disk upon a central support, and means for engagingthe periphery of the upper disk for revolubly holding the same inposition without a central support, a lens mounted within the loop ofthe film, and means for revolving the same whereby it is caused to actupon every portion of the said loop, substantially as described.

7. In a camera the combination with the casing of film supporting meansmounted therein comprising a frame having a central standard, pivotedplates mounted thereon for engaging and revolubly holding film-spools,springs for holding the said plates in engagement with the said spool, akey for turning one of the spools for winding the film,antifriction-rollers also mounted upon the said frame for guiding thefilm to the center of the camera, and film spreading and supportingdisks adapted to hold a portion of the film in the form of a cylindricalloop, a hub for pivotally supporting the lower disk, a series ofstandards arranged in the camera and provided with pairs ofantifriction-rollers for engaging the edge of the upper disk,edgeengaging rollers also mounted on said standards for properlycentering the said upper plate, some of the said standards also havingantifriction-rollers engaging the periphery of the lower plate, andmeans for transmitting reflected light to every part of the film-loop,substantially as described.

8. In a camera the combination with means for holding a film in a loopform, of reflecting means for directing reflected light to the said loopso as to affect every part thereof, and a shutter movably mounted in thecamera and adapted to prevent the entrace of light through thereflecting means before it starts on its revolution in the camera, thesaid shutter awaiting the arrival of the said reflecting means at thefinish of its movement and again operating to shut off rays of lightintroduced by the said reflected means, substantially as described.

9. A camera comprising a casing adapted to have a film mounted therein,a rotating lens arranged within the camera and film, a tube fordirecting rays of light to every portion of the film in the lens, anadjustable shutter adapted to close the end of the tube before itcommences to rotate, the said shutter also closing the tube at the endof its r0- tation but moving to one side of its original position, so asto expose the portion of the film which it originally covered to theaction of the lens and means forlimiting the movement of the shutter,substantially as described.

10. In a camera the combination with a suitable casing of means forholding a film therein, a rotating lens mounted in the camera, a tubefor directing the rays of light from the said lens, a shutter pivotallymounted in the camera, means for rotating the lens in the camera, alittle more than a complete revolution at a time, the said shuttershutting ofi the light which comes through the lens before the lensbegins to revolve and then moving to one side of its original point soas to cover the said tube again at the end of its stroke and yet permitevery portion of the film to be exposed, a spring secured to the saidshutter and adapted to be engaged by a projection upon the said tubewhereby the shutter will be automatically caused to adjust itself to theposition of the said tube before and after it has made its revolution inthe camera, and means for limiting the movement of the said shutter,substantially as described.

11. In a camera the combination with means for holding a film in a loopform therein, of a rotating reflecting means mounted centrally of thecamera, a rotating block arranged in the casing for permitting thereflecting means to extend outside of the camera the said block beingprovided with light-excluding flanges, overhanging corresponding flangeson the casingand means for rotating the said reflecting means,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

DAVID O. BARNELL.

Witnesses:

EDWIN O. BAIRD, JOHN ZWEIFEL.

Correction in Letters Patent No. 687,592.

It is hereby certified that the essignee in Letters Patent No. 687,592,granted November 26, 1901, upon the application of David O. Barnell, ofOmaha, l lebruslm for an improvement in Panorama-Cameras, should havebeen described as The Cosmos Jlanfiactwing Cbmpaay, of Omaha, Nebraska,instead of The Cosmos Manufacturing Company, of Brookline,Massachusetts, a corporation of Massachusetts; and that the said LettersPatent should be read with this correction therein that the same mayconform to the record of the case in the Patent Oflice.

Signed, countersigned, and sealed this 10th day of December, A. D.,1901.

[SEAL] F. L. CAMPBELL,

Assistant Secretary of the Interior.

Counter-signed F. I. ALLEN,

COWMRiSSiOnT of Patents.

Correctio n in Letters Patent No. 687,592.

It is hereby certified that the assignee in Letters Patent No. 687,592,granted November 26, 1901, upon the application of David O. Barnell, ofOmaha, Nebraska,

1 for an improvement in Panorama-Cameras, should have been described asThe turing Company, of Brookline, Massachusetts, a corporation ofMassachusetts, and that the said Letters Patent should be read with thiscorrection therein that the same may conform to the recordof the case inthe Patent Ofiice.

Signed, countersigned, and sealed this 10th day of December, A. D.,1901.

[SEAL] F. L. CAMPBELL,

Assistant Secretary of the Interim: Oountersigned F. I ALLEN,

Commissioner of Patents.

Cosmos .Mamgacturing Company, of Omaha, Nebraska, instead of The CosmosManufac-

